Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Harry Potter.

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favourited this story! I have recently updated Chapter 1, 3, 4 and 6 so I suggest you re read them so that the story makes more sense. Thanks for reading!

I woke up and smiled, snuggling further into the pillow I was currently laying on. As I did this, the pillows seemed to hug me back and I froze in horror. Then I remembered. I was stuck to Malfoy. I looked over at the clock and nearly screamed. We were so going to be late. "Malfoy! Draco! Get up we're going to be late for class!" "Five more minutes." Was the reply. I huffed. Git. But there was no way that I was going to be late to class, so I proceeded to roll over top of him and drag him out of bed.

"Oi! What the hell Granger!" "We are going to be late for class. I tried to wake you nicely but you wouldn't get up." He turned to look at me, his mouth gaping. And then he started to laugh. "Hermione, you know its Saturday right?" It was my turn to gape. "Umm." He kept laughing. I glared.

"Shut up Malfoy." He straightened up, the smile not yet off his face. "I thought we were on a first name basis, Hermione. Which, as I recall, was your idea. Now on to more pressing matters. How are we going to eat breakfast? We clearly missed it." Now it was my turn to smirk. "Don't tell me the great Draco Malfoy doesn't know how to get to the kitchens." He shrugged. "Someone else always went for me." I rolled my eyes. Typical. I led him down to the portrait, lent over his arm and tickled the pear, which immediately let us in.

As usual, the elves swarmed around us to find out what we wanted, but before any of them could so much as say hello, there was a loud squeal. "Miss Hermione! What can I get for you? And who's this handsome man with you?" I felt my jaw drop. "Winky?" I was in utter disbelief. The last time I had seen Winky, she was sobbing uncontrollably over a bottle of Firewhiskey, her tattered old uniform covered in stains. Now she looked the epitome of health. She was wearing a nice light pink dress that looked pressed and clean, and was beaming from ear to ear, obviously not drunk.

"You remember my name! Last time you saw Winky I was a mess but after you left I considered what you had said to me and I decided that it was time for me to be happy. I proudly serve Hogwarts school as a free elf! And Ms. McGonagall is paying Winky nicely yes she is." I beamed. "Oh Winky that's wonderful! If it isn't too much to ask, Draco and I would like some breakfast, we seemed to have missed it this morning." She bowed. "Anything for Miss Hermione and her boyfriend."

I blanched and turned to Malfoy, who was running a hair through his platinum hair. "Oh no. He's not my boyfriend. This is Draco Malfoy, the Head Boy and our hands got stuck together after an unfortunate charms accident." "I see. But if you don't mind me saying so, you make a stunning couple. Even in pajamas." Oh no. "Damn. We forgot to change." "Oh well. We can change when we get back. I really don't care if anyone sees me like this." Of course he didn't care if anyone saw him, he looked attractive in anything. Woah. Calm down Hermione this is Malfoy you're talking about. And he is certainly not attractive. It was then that my brain decided to remind me of when I healed him after the wardrobe fell on him and the jaw dropping abs that I know he has. I blushed. Anyways, now was definitely not the time to be drooling over Malfoy. Oh god. I was drooling over Malfoy. No, Draco. He was really making an effort with the first names thing so I would too.

We ate our breakfast peacefully, thanked the elves and left. He turned to me. "We start patrol at ten tonight in case you've forgotten. I figured you'd want to go to the library and I need to check a book, so do you want to go there?" I smiled. After being on the run for so long without as many books as I would have liked, the library sounded amazing. "Sounds good."

We were getting the hang of doing things while attached now and I noticed that this time getting changed was significantly less awkward than last time. We walked into the library and I smiled. I'd missed this place. I turned around to see if Malfoy…Draco wanted to get his book first and saw that he was watching me. I raised an eyebrow. "Draco? I was just wondering if you wanted to get your book first." He nodded. "Alright."

We went to get his book and I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. It was Quidditch Through The Ages. After gathering three books for some light reading, we sat down at a table. I opened the first book and started to read.

Ten minutes later, and I was still on the same page. Damn that ferret invading my thoughts. I sighed and looked up, noticing as I did so that he was still on page two of the book. He looked up. "Hermione, if we're going to be friends there's a lot of things that need to be said." I waited. He drew in a breath, as if nervous. "I'm sorry. So sorry for everything I've ever done to you. I never liked calling you that word, but it was all I knew to do, it was what I'd been taught growing up. In sixth year, when Voldemort gave me the task of killing Dumbledore, I was excited at first. It was a chance to prove to my father that I was worthy of him. But then what I had to do sunk in and I was horrified. I never would have been able to kill him. Call me what you like, but I am not a murderer. And most of all, I'm sorry for that night in the manor. Hearing your screams nearly killed me. You and I may have hated each other, but you didn't deserve that. No one does. I even thought about trying to stop her and save you. I know what I did was wrong and I fully accept it if you don't want to forgive me." He looked down.

I smiled softly. "I forgive you." His head shot up. "You do?" I nodded. "You're not evil Draco. I'm not saying that what you did wasn't horrible, but you've atoned for your mistakes and you had the decency and courage to apologize to me. And I appreciate that." "Thank you." He whispered, looking me in the eye. In those pools of metallic silver I saw gratitude and, happiness.

I smiled. "Now that all that's out of the way, I have an idea. In order to get to know each other better, we should each tell one secret about ourselves that no one else in the entire world knows." He considered it. "Alright. But you go first." "Hmm." I thought to myself. What was my biggest secret?

"You know how my boggart was McGonagall saying I've failed all my classes? Well my greatest fear isn't really failing, it's getting expelled from Hogwarts and kicked out of the Wizarding World because I'm not good enough to be a witch." He started. "You're one of the most brilliant witches I've ever known! No one in their right minds would kick you out of this world." I blushed. "Thanks. Now it's your turn."

He cleared his throat. "I've always wanted to be a Gryffindor, my favourite colour is actually red. But I knew I would be disowned if I was sorted into it, so I learned really quickly how to mask my emotions and bring out the parts of me that were most Slytherin, and the hat put me there. Don't get me wrong, I am totally a Slytherin. But I wasn't always." I smiled.

"You're still not completely a Slytherin." He stared at me, confused. I laughed and went back to my book. We sat down there for hours, just reading. It was a rather nice change from always being on the ready for battle. I found myself almost enjoying his presence. Lunch and dinner were surprisingly quiet affairs, as Ginny had snuck away to meet Harry and Blaise was nowhere to be seen.

Soon I realized that it was time for patrol. It was twenty minutes in and so far we hadn't met anybody doing anything they weren't supposed to be. I thought too soon. I heard noises from a broom cupboard and rolled my eyes. "Whoever's in there, we know you're here so come one out." I spoke with authority. Out came Pansy Parkinson and her current shag. I rolled my eyes. But Pansy interrupted me before I could say anything.

"You're still stuck to the mudblood? Poor luck Draco, not only are you stuck to a mudblood, but you're stuck to the worst one. Hermione Know-It-All Granger." Draco stepped forward menacingly. "Don't call her that name Parkinson. The war's over, you lost." She paled. "What's this, an ex death eater sticking up for a mudblood? What would your father say?" He kept his composure but his eyes gave him away. They hardened in anger. "100 points from Slytherin and detention with McGonagall next weekend. If I ever hear you say that word again you'll have me to answer to and I won't go easy on you. You made my life hell for seven years. Now get out of here before I reconsider and curse you so hard you won't remember your name."

I was stunned. And so was Pansy, she left without uttering a single word. "Thank you."

He turned to me and smiled a hard smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Don't mention it." We continued to patrol in peace, catching only a couple first year Gryffindors and some fifth year Ravenclaws who had clearly been drinking.

We finally made it back to our dormitory at two in the morning and got ready for bed. When I came out of the bathroom in my pajamas, Draco frowned at me.

"Why do you always wear long sleeves?" I gestured to my arm and laughed without humour. "Why do you think?" The furrow in his brows increased. Then he proceeded to take off his shirt, revealing his arms and nicely toned torso. "Wear a shirt with no sleeves tonight. We shouldn't be ashamed of our scars, they're a part of us now, a casualty of war, but they don't define us."

I nodded, speechless and went back in the bathroom. I came out in a tank top that clearly showed the horrible word carved into my skin. We climbed into bed in the same position as last night, but a little closer together tonight. He flipped over top of me onto the other side and laid on his back. Turning slightly to me, he traced my scar, his fingers sending shivers down it. He moved his gaze up to mine.

"You shouldn't be self conscious of it. It only makes you more beautiful." I sucked in a breath, and, amazed at myself, picked up his arm. He unconsciously flinched and moved his arm away from my grasp. I smiled softly, tracing the mark. "You shouldn't be self conscious either. You're not evil. Not really a death eater."

I forced myself to look up at him. Warm honey brown met alluring silver and the heat of the gaze made me look away.

"Goodnight Draco." "Goodnight Hermione." With that I let myself melt in the embrace and fall asleep in his arms. Who knew Draco Malfoy could be so gentle?

(Draco's P.O.V.)

I smiled down at the gorgeous witch in my arms. As I watched her sleep, curls falling softly against her face, I realized something. Or perhaps I finally let myself realize what I'd realized long ago. I was falling for Hermione Granger.